Attachment for cameras



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S. S. BENSTBR.

ATTACHMENT TOR CAMERAS.

No. 339,731. PatentedApr. 13, 1886.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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S. S. BENSTER.

ATTACHMENT TOR CAMERAS.

Patented Apr. 13, .1886.

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N. mena Mmm. um nlc UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEC p SOLOMON S. BENS'IER, OF TOLEDO, OI'IIO.

ATTACH M ENT FO R CAM ERAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,731, dated April 13, .1.886.

Application tiled June 4. 1885.

To LZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SOLOMON S. BENsTER, of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Attachments to Cameras; and I do hereby declare th at the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and novel improvements in attachments to cameras; and the object of the invention is to construct a device to be attached to the lens-tube of a camera, and adapted to serve the double purpose of diaphragm and shutter; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction,`

arrangement, and operation of suitable wings situated within the lens tube, and adapted to be instantaneously opened and closed at the will ofthe operator, such opening and closing of the wings being from and to the central focusing of the lens or lens-tube; secondly, in the peculiar construction and arrangement of devices for instantaneously operating these shutters or wings, and, thirdly, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combinations cf the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Figure l isacross-section through thelenstube oi' a camera immediately in front of the diaphragm, and showing my improved device in place and as closed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the diaphragm with the wings partially opened. Fig. 3 is a detached elevation ofthe cam-ring with all but two of the wings removed. Fig. 4L is a longitudinal section on the line zr r in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is aperspeetive view of the lens-tube. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the ring which forms a part of the diaphragm, showing the means for securing it to the inner tube.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specication, A represents the outer tube, which is provided with the flange B, by means of which it is secured to the eamera-boX as in the ordinary manner, and C is the inner or slide tube,whieh is provided with the ordinary means for sliding it in or out of the stationary tube A; but as this forms no part of my invention, I neither show it in my drawings nor enter into a description of its construction.

Vithin the slide-tube C, I secure the usual Serial No. 167,599..

(No model.)

flange, D, immediately in lrontof which is cnt through the wall of the slide-tube a slot, a, while in the outer tube a square portion is cutaway, so that the inner tube may be adjusted in or out as the operator may desire.

E is an annular ring slightly smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the sliding tube C, and in the periphery of this ring E there is formed a groove, b,which,when the ring is in place within the tube, comes coincident with the slot a through the wall of such tube. In the front face of this ring E there is formed an annular depression, c, adapted to receive the oscillating cam-ring F, which is provided with an arm, G, which projects ontwardly through the groove D ot' the ring E and the slot a of the tube C.

[I is a plate, which is inserted through the so called diaphragni-slot7 a into the groove b of the ring` Il, and is secured thereto by suitable pins, d, and I is a key or wedge, which is 1 inserted through a proper hey-hole, t', in the plate Il adjacent to the outer wall of the inner tube, so as to draw the ring E tightly and rigidly against theinncr wall ofthe tube, preventing thereby its accidental displacement. This plate II is provided with a curved indexarm, J, the free end of which rests against the outer wall of theinner tube.

K represents a cylinder closed at one end and secured to the plate H. IVithin this cylinder is placed a proper piston, the pistonrod L of which extends down to and through the inwardly-projecting portion ofthe arm J, and the lower or outer end of this piston-rod is threaded and carries upon it a thumb-nut, M, which regulates the throw of the piston, as hereinafter described.

N is a nipple, which com munieates with the interior of the cylinder K through its head. as shown, and is adapted to receive one end of a iieXible tube, the other end of which carries a bulb or other suitable device, by means of which air may be forced into the cylinder to cause the outward stroke of the piston, and which will, on releasing the bulb, cause the piston to resume its original position by suetion. The arm G of the oscillating cam-ring E is passed through the slot g in the piston-rod L. In Fig. litis shown connected, but in Fig. 2 these parts are shown detached, to better illustrate the slot.

O represents a series of wings or shutters,

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substantially of the form shown, the outer l ends of which are pivotally secured to the annular ring E, while pins e project downwardly from the rear faces of these wings O, to engage with the slots 7L upon the inner edge of the ring F, as shown. These wings, as will be seen upon reference to the drawings, overlap each other, and when in their closed position, as shown in Fig. 1, form for, all practical purposes, a completely.- closed diaphragm, shutting out entirely the passage of any rays of light through the tubes. v

In taking instantaneous photographs with the ordinary apparatus provided therefor the work produced has a fiat appearance, as in an open lens with diaphragm removed, the outlines or features not standing out sharp, and those portions not directly under the focus of the lens appear smoky and blurred; and it is one of the objects of thisrinvention to overcome this great objection in instantaneous photography, while at the same time the employment of different sizes of diaphragms to produce-a difference in the depth and sharpness of pictures taken is avoided; and the operation of my device is as follows: The operator sits or places the subject in a proper position before the camera and then arranges his focus through the camera, as in the ordinary manner; but as the normal position of my device is always closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the operator must, by squeezing the bulb, force air into the cylinder and project its piston-rod until the thumb-nut M strikes against the inwardly-bent portion of the arm J, In this movement of the piston and its rod and by its connection with the arm G of the ring F such ring is compelled to partially turn or oscillate in its bearing in the ring E, causing the pins e of the wings O to slide up in the slots h and throw such wings radially from the center to the periphery of the ri'ng E, leaving the sight free and unobstructed through the lens-tubes to their fullest capacity. Having adjusted the focus, the operator releases the bulb, which, relilling with air by suction, draws the piston back into its original position, compelling, by the connections herein named, the wingsO to assume their normal or closed position, shutting out and preventing the passage of rays of light th rough the tubes. The operator now inserts the chemical plate,wl1icl1 has previously been prepared, in its proper receptaclein the camera-box, when he again quickly presses the bulb and as quickly releases it, compelling, as hereinbefore described ,the wings Oto instantaneously open and close, and while this is being done by such wings the reflection of the subject has been cast'and made upon the chemical plate. Now, it will be observed that as these wings open from the center to the periphery the iirst ray of light that passes through the infinitesimal opening that may be made must necessarily throw the entire reflection yof the subject upon the chemical plate, making and producing a negative which is sharp and bold in all of 'its outlines and features, and which may be said to stand out bodily from the chemical plate upon which the object is reiiected,while, as the wings open still farther to their greatest extent, the diffusion of the rays upon the negative produces a softening and brilliancy of lines and shadows, and as the wings assume their normal or closed position the rays of light are again concentrated to the center, and the focus gives additional boldness to the lines. It will be observed that the wings O being pivotally secured to a ring' upon lines radiating froma common center the same are caused to move outwardly from such common center to t-he periphery of the ring to which they are attached. rIhe opening formed is circular, or as nearly so as can be formed by a series of plates arranged to enlarge or diminish the area of the circular opening made or formed by them in their various positions.

Vhile I have described in connection with this device a cylinder adapted to be operated bythe compression and suction of air, I do not desire to confine myself` strictly to such construction, as there are undoubtedly various other means which could be employed for causing an instantaneous opening and closing ofthe wings of the diaphragm. If the operator should desire to restrict the opening of the wings lof the diaphragm, so as to have a greater concentration of the rays, he can run the nut M down upon the thread of the piston-rod, so as to shorten the distance between IOO such` nut and the arm J, and thus limit the ring F, and wings O, when constructed, ar-l ranged, and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination, the lens-tubes B O, provided with acombined shutter and diaphragm constructed substantially as described, the cylinder K, provided with a piston and piston-rod, L, arranged to be projected and retracted instantaneously, and connected to the oscillating cam ring. F, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3, In adevice for the purpose described, the combination, with a combined shutter and diaphragm, and a piston and piston-rod arranged to be projected andrrctracted instantaneously, of the nut M upon the threaded endof said pistonrod, and constructed to limit t-he size of the diaphragmopening, as set forth.

- SOLOMON S. BENS'IER.

Vitnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, E. J. SOULLY.

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